Younger generations throughout the United States long to achieve the American Dream. We all have dreamt of our dream cars, mansions and wealthy lifestyle, but how likely is that outcome? Older generations teach children to crave wealth and success, but everyday it seems to get harder to reach that goal. Young adults find it difficult to even keep themselves afloat, especially with the economy not being at its best. In the United States, people have this expectation of living the American Dream, but for so many, this dream is nearly impossible to achieve due to race, class and other circumstances. Although we try to all be equal, there are still unequal job opportunities for people depending on their race. Neighborhoods have been ranked from …show more content…
Many wealthy people tend to still not feel fulfilled and want more than money. This also affects many families of color that are suffering “due to the systemic racial inequality” they have faced for as long as people can remember (white). Even if people do not realize it, many employers will pay colore employees slightly less, making it more difficult for them to rise from “rags to riches”. With inflation and low incomes, this aspect of being wealthy for the American Dream is more difficult to achieve than ever. Even if it seems like the American Dream isn’t far, different circumstances may occur, causing setbacks along the way. Attempting to be “successful” can take up most of people’s lives. The American Dream can take decades to achieve, but people are impatient, “wanting instant gratification, rather than paying their dues” (McNeil). This is causing people to give up on that dream and accept their lives as they are, not working any harder than before. Many people already have an advantage, due to having different access to things “like education, connections, and job opportunities” depending on where they live, their ethnicity or income
The United States has always been viewed as a land of opportunity, where one could achieve anything they put their mind to, no matter who they are. Freedom and economic stability are the factors that make our country appealing. People are hopeful that the opportunities the country holds will help them achieve the American dream. This dream consists of achieving financial success, but time has proven that the American dream is a rare occurrence. Unfortunately, ambition, hard work, nor perseverance are enough to be successful in America. No individual is guaranteed success or destined for failure, but it is apparent that women, people of color, and those born into poverty will face greater obstacles than others,
In a country where 45 million people struggle to survive below the poverty line, inflation continues to rise as wages remain the same. What happened to the American Dream? As the rich continue to get richer, even those in the middle class can’t seem to catch a break. The structure of American society makes it nearly impossible for those in poverty to rise above, and there are other factors, including race and gender, which play a role.
Although most Americans continue to believe working hard is the most important element for getting ahead, they no longer believe that it guarantees success (Hanson 2010: 570). "Lack of thrift, effort, ability, motivation, and self-control are the most popular explanations for poverty among Americans. Thus, inequality is justified and the Dream can stay alive in the context of one of the wealthiest nations with one of the greatest wealth divides" (Hanson 2010: 571). Instead of one undifferentiated American dream to collectively strive towards, there are several interpretations which pertain to differing social locations. This is because of the inequalities of advantages and disadvantages across generations produced by cumulative institutional processes and an unfair opportunity structure (Pallas 2008:
People who work hard enough become successful and build a good life for themselves and their family. Millions of Americans and others who admire America have believed this for generations. However, is this still true? Brandon King debates his interpretation of the American Dream in his published work, “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” During his essay, the speaker highlights how important the American Dream is to the economy and providing a distance from inequality. The speaker emphasizes his belief that the American Dream is still alive within America and that people must work hard to achieve it. When discussing the American Dream, King will agree that the idea is alive and thriving in the minds of Americans; yet, I argue that the idea is on hold within American society due to lack of upward social independence and economic mobility.
... continuous injustice in financial prospect because the top dogs are too occupied with new ways of making money for themselves while the rest of America are focused on putting a roof over their heads or feeding the entire family. For few fortunate individuals, they will be able to accomplish their ultimate American Dream; however, most Americans will often shun away for the life time of financial progression. Like George Carlin, a comedian once said during his stand up show about the American Dream, “The owners in this country know the truth, it is called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.” In reality, when the prospects of the American Dream is ignored by our society, dreams often become unfilled and expectations for superior life turn out to be a sham, an enduring nightmare for most people in the pursuit for their American dream.
The phrase “The American Dream” is an incredible thing. The promise of that dream has convinced hundreds of millions of people that, as a citizen of this country, you can accomplish anything if you work hard enough. Whether you want to be a doctor, athlete, or even a president, those things should all be within your reach, regardless of your class or race! America is the nation where dreams can come true. Unfortunately, for a large number of people that believe this, this is a concept that does not apply to them. Many Americans find opportunities are denied to them because of their race. Others can be found living in poverty and far from anything that would be considered desirable. Statistics show that the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans earned 9 percent of all U.S. income in 1979. Did you know that the same 1 percent earns 24 percent of all U.S. income today? That is a staggering example of the income inequality in America. The American Dream is that if you work hard and have the ability you will succeed, but that has become an impossibility for millions of disadvantaged Americans because the income inequality has been steadily increasing since the 1970s and racism and poverty are constant barriers to their success and financial security.
The American Dream is so important to our country and especially for our generation to take seriously. The American Dream is the opportunity to reach the goals one sets for themselves. It is about having your dream job and life you have always fantasized about. The dream is also about having freedom and equality. The American Dream was much easier to attain a few decades ago compared to today. However, it is still possible. The economy was better fifty years ago than it is today. People are in greater debt now and the United States is in higher debt than it was fifty years ago. The American Dream is still possible despite the lack of improvement within social mobility in American society over the past years. The American dream is achievable by being able to live a middle-class lifestyle and that lifestyle is obtainable through hard work and perseverance, even in light of obstacles such as racism. “The American Dream is still achievable, however, the good news is that people at the bottom are just as likely to move up the income ladder today as they were 50 years ago” (O’Brien 1). The ability to attain the American Dream is hindered by race, the middle class, and giving up facing adversity.
Amidst the Echoes of Liberty, a serious issue remains: can every American genuinely grasp the promise that beacons from the horizon of opportunity? The concept of the American dream has been ingrained in the fabric of the country's identity. It is a Timeless fantasy that promises a place of limited potential where the fruits of prosperity are accessible to all citizens, regardless of their origins or circumstances. However, as we transverse the intricacies of the current world, a critical question arises in the shadows of this great ideal: Is the American dream accessible to all? This investigation looks into the heart of societal institutions and economic equality in the changing landscape of opportunity, challenging us to determine whether
Some people have faced the reality that they will not be able to acquire the American Dream due to the extremely high costs of living. Furthermore, according to Census.gov, their graph presents the total household income based on race, which shows the uneven wages which are so drastically gaped. In 2022, there was a $50,000 household income salary gap between African Americans, who have the lowest incomes, and Asians, who have the highest income. How can everyone live the American Dream when wages are not even 50% equal between different races? Over time, the graph showed that the rich got richer and the poorer maintained an almost constant wage.
In “The Meritocracy Myth,” Stephen J. McNamee and Robert K Miller Jr. said, “According to the ideology of the American dream, America is the land of limitless opportunity in which individuals can go as far as their own merit takes them.” Sadly, achieving the “American dream” is not accessable for everyone. Unless one was born into privilege, they cannot achieve many things with ease. What this means is that the wealthy and higher-class citizens are given many more chances and big breaks, even if they don’t work hard or necessarily deserve it. In modern day, wealth is unquestionably not based off of merit, as often as it should be.
Since people in a lower class don’t have as many opportunities, they are put at a disadvantage at reaching the American dream. It is hard for them to be successful, “Because of the system of social stratification found in our society, people who are lower and middle class may find it difficult to achieve financial success” (Robinson). It would be difficult for them to achieve financial success because they don’t have the chance to receive a good job. They struggle to get a well-paying job because they have several setbacks, such as a poor education. All of this is based on where they come from and their social class.
The American Dream is often a universal ideal that anyone can achieve through hard work and determination. However, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and other factors play a large role in determining a person's ability to achieve this dream. Studies have shown that people from minority, racial, and ethnic groups face systemic barriers that limit their opportunities for success. Discrimination in hiring practices, unequal access to quality education, and disparities in health care contribute to the perpetuation of inequality based on race and ethnicity. Similarly, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often struggle to break the cycle of poverty due to limited resources and lack of social mobility.
The American Dream Bernie Sanders once said that “ for many, the American dream is a nightmare.” It is a nightmare that numerous people still think that it would make them wealthy and have a marvelous life, though, it is determined by countless polls and surveys displaying that the American dream is not feasible. How could one simply manage to live their American dream when they can’t even afford to live on his or her own due to the competitiveness of modern society. The point is, accomplishing the American dream in the modern society is preposterous.
As a result of this shift those without wealth are left behind, with little hope of catching up. To reach the American Dream you first need Wealth, and while it would be unfair to claim that it is impossible for anyone to expand their wealth, it takes a large amount of time and risk to achieve large financial growth. There also exists a severe lack of hope within the system from the general American population, “But for all the optimism of youth, nearly one in six Americans younger than 30 do not believe they will pull ahead financially in the near future” (Morello). There is a serious distrust in the system, according to the study a large sum of people believe they have no chance at the American Dream. While to some people one in six may seem like a small percentage, this is simply based off of the subject’s beliefs, while in reality determination cannot carry you alone.
This establishes a trend of racing to attain wealth anyway possible, and creates a situation in which satisfaction with one’s life is not important. Becoming insanely wealthy is not possible for everyone, especially in the present economy. This version of the American Dream is impossible to achieve for some people. My version of this concept is attainable for anyone who is willing to put in the effort. The American Dream is not about gaining prestige and money.